Fluid-flow indicator



Feb. 28, 1933. s. D. CLARK FLUID FLOW INDICATOR Filed Jan. 18, 1929 INVENTOR 09: ,0. C 1222*.

AT'TORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE P. CLARK, OF BEARISVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC Q MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA rnumrnow mmca'roa Application Med January 18, 1829. Serial No. 388,487.

My invention relates to fluid-flow indica tors and more particularly'to water-flow indicators for use in transformer water cooling systems.

My invention has for an object to provide a fluid-flow indicator having air traps asso ciated therewith that may be readily cleaned and easily removed for inspection and repair.

1 Another object of my invention is to pro-' vide means in a bellows water-flow indicator, whereby no water enters either of the bellows, thereby obviating the possible freezing of the indicator in cold weather. A still further object of my invention is to provide a fluid-flow indicator comprising a simple compact structure having minimum number of parts.

M invention may be more readily understoo by reference to the accompanyin drawing which illustrates a preferred modi cation A liquid, such as water, that is being supplied to a transformer for coolin purposes. M

device utilizes a Venturi tn 1 and a'di ferential pressure gauge 2 connected therewith through air tra 3 and 4 to measure the rate of flow of a liquid.

Two bellows structures 5 and 6 are'mechanically connected by arigid member 7 and are fixedly mounted at their outer ends to a base 8. The upper bellows 5 communicates with the air trap 3 through pipe 9 and the air trap communicates wit the Venturi tube 1 through pipe 10 so that the bellows 5 is subjected to a pressure in accordance with the pressure in the reduced section of the Venturi tube. The lower bellows 6 is similarly connected by a pipe 11 to the top of the air trap 4 and by a pipe 12 from the bottom,

of the air trap Ventur'i tube 1. Since the bellowso and 6 are connected to 4 to the large section ofthe the small and large sections, respectively, of I the 'Venturi tube 1, they respond to the drierent pressures at those sections and the rigid member 7 is actuated in accordance with the diflerence of the two pressures.

The movement of the member 7 is multiplied and translated to an indicating pointer 13 and scale 14, that is conveniently calibrated in rate of fluid flow, by means of a. rigid member 15 mounted on the member 7, a lever 16 pivoted to the base 8 and resti with point-contact on the member 15 and liiifi 17 connecting the end of the lever 16 to the crank 18 that is in turn secured to the pivoted axis 19 of the pointer 13. A spring 20 returns the pointer 13 to its initial position.

T e air traps 3 and 4 are provided with petcocks 21 for draining urposes when the tube 1 is empty, for exam le, when the transformer cooling coils fed t ereby are drained. The air traps 3 and 4 revent waterfrom entering the bellows 5 an 6 and freezing and, in addition, prevent them from becoming clogged with dirt from the water the flowrate of which is being measured.

An electrical contact operated bythe movement of the member 7 may be provided for operating an alarm when the rate of waterfiow through the tube 1 exceeds a predetermined amount. For this purpose contact 22 is mounted on the member 7 and coacts with a stationary contact 23 mounted on the base 8 of the device.

The establishment of connection between the two contacts 22 and 23 closes as alarm circuit 26 including a battery 24 and an alarm, such as a bell 25, for indicating the dangerous condition of the water-flow. Since the conand are consequently free from corrosion, the device maybe readily cleaned, the bellows are not subject to freezing because they do' not contain any liquid, and the contacts permit of the use of either A. C. or D. C. energized control circuits.

The above novel features obviate most of the difficulties heretofore encountered in water-flow indicators and my device fills the urgent need, in the transformer field especially, for a water-flow indicator having the above enumerated characteristics.

Various modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination, a Venturi tube, a

- base mounted thereon and including three projecting standards, difierentially expansible bellows mounted on said standards and facing each other, a scale mounted on one of said standards, a pointer for the scale pivotally mounted on another of said standards, an element mounted on another of said standards between the bellows and responsive to differential movement of the bellows, and means for transmitting movement of said element to said pointer.

2. In combination, a Venturi tube, a casing mounted thereon including air traps, differentially expansible bellows mounted on the casing, means providing communicating passages between said bellows and the high and low-pressure sections of said tube, re spectively, through said air traps and means responsive to differential movement of the bellows.

3. In combination, a Venturi tube, a casing mounted thereon enclosing air'traps and embodying a pair of projecting standards, differentially expansible bellows mounted on said standards and facing each other, means providing communicating passages between said bellows and the high and low-pressure nected to the pointer, a stationary bearing element on the casing between the bellows, a movable bearing element cooperating with said stationary bearing element and connecting the bellows, and a rod extending between said movable bearing element and said pivoted lever means and cooperating with the lever arm means for transmitting difi'erential movement of the bellows to the pointer.

5. In combination, in a compact, self-contained unit, a Venturi. tube, a single base supported directly on said tube and enclosing a plurality of air traps, differentially expansible bellows mounted on said base and communicating with said tube through said traps, and means responsive to difierential movement of the bellows supported by said base.

In testimony whereof, 1 have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of January, 1929.

GEORGE-D. CLARK.

sections of said tube, respectively, through said traps, a scale mounted on one of said standards, a pointer for the scale pivotally mounted on the other standard, and means cooperating with the bellows and extending from a position therebetween to a position adjacent to the pointer pivot for actuating thepointer.

4. In combination, a Venturi tube, a casing mounted thereon enclosing air traps and em- 

